The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, will hold its annual convention in Texas for the first time in 2006. The two-day program of seminars, informational meetings and a free trade show is set for February 24-25 at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio. Leading experts in equine health care and endurance-related fields will be featured at several seminar sessions. Other highlights of the AERC's convention will...

Lexington, KY - The Florida Classic horse show in Wellington will host a qualifier for the 2006 FEI Children’s International Jumping Final this Saturday and Sunday, February 18 and 19. Please note that, unlike the past two years, the 2006 Children’s Final will NOT be held in the U.S. What this means is that U.S. riders are considered “foreign” and will be invited according to the FEI Children’s International Jumping Competition rules using the worldwide standings listed on the FEI’s web site at...

Wellington Dressage at the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival wrapped up on Sunday, February 5, following four days of dressage competition at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, FL. More than 200 horses from across the country competed in the four-ring show, which included 60 classes encompassing Training Level through Grand Prix. Featured classes were the qualifying competitions for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games Selection Trials, and qualifiers for the 2006 Collecting Gaits...

As a reminder to all riders and owners of four-, five- and six-year-old dressage horses, scores for the 2006 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Program may be earned at USEF/USDF-licensed dressage competitions. For your convenience, USEF has compiled a list of official "qualifying competitions." These competitions have notified USEF that they will be offering Young Horse Tests in accordance with 2006 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Program Selection Procedures during the qualifying period of...

A clear round for Brandie Holloway on the little mare she fell in love with was all it took to win Sunday's $25,000 Grand Prix during the opening week of the HITS Arizona Winter Circuit. Out of a starting field of 25 horse-and-rider combinations, Holloway and S&L So Be It was the only pair to master Mike Gallaway's challenging first-round course. Gallaway's course was a sweeping series of combinations with a last line that included an oxer to a vertical to an oxer double-combination finish. A...

Richard Spooner couldn't catch his breath. The Indio Desert Circuit's all-time leading money winner had five mounts in the $30,000 Ariat Grand Prix, and he brought three into the jump-off. Quirino 3 delivered Spooner another victory, posting the jump-off's best time of 39.36. Ezrah also had a clean-round at 40.08 giving him second place in the competition. His third mount, Airtime, smacked into jump 12, a white and blue vertical jump near the end of the course, leaving him sixth. In the opening...

The 2006 American Saddlebred Registry Grand National show schedule has been released with 37 shows offering 57 classes with added prize money. The 2006 Grand National show schedule can be found on the prize program's website at www.saddlebred.com/prize-grand-national . A number of owners have received the schedule, but it is important to note that the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show has since added a Three-Gaited Amateur Championship Grand National class for its September show. The Grand...

Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) Commission Chair Tandy Patrick and 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games Chairman Jim Host will attend the ASHA Annual Luncheon at the American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA) Saddlebred Summit Saturday, February 18, at noon. Patrick and Host have both been playing key roles in the progress of the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Patrick, who is also a member of ASHA, traveled to Bahrain as a member of the Kentucky delegation to make the Kentucky Horse Park’s final...

The Arabian Horse Association of Arizona (AHAA) announced the dates for its 51st Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show scheduled for February 2006. The annual event, billed as one of the largest horse shows in the world, will run from February 17-26 at West World in North Scottsdale. New to the 2006 show will be a Arabian Reining Futurity class that has projected over $80,000 in prize money. With the support of the Arabian Reining Horse Association, the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona has...

The Gold Medal luncheon was held on February 5 in honor of the 2004 United States Olympic Gold Medal Team. Hosted by Harold and Kathy Kamine, the event brought together many of the incredible people that made Athens happen and those who continue to support equine sports. The Kamines arranged the party to unite the countless participants that were needed to make it to the Olympics. “Not all of us could be in Athens, so I thought, ‘What a great opportunity to have everyone together to watch the...